New York Sportsbooks + Sports Betting Sites

New York, which until very recently was one of the US states prohibited by federal law to legalize sports betting, is currently working on crafting regulations for its own forthcoming sports betting industry. All that notwithstanding – and even before the Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA, 1992) – the legislature actually had nothing to say about legal online sports betting in New York.

While the state’s gambling laws prevent operators from setting up illegal betting businesses, they have nothing against residents betting at online sportsbooks. Despite nominally legalizing sports wagering via public referendum in 2013, the state of New York has not yet made legalized sports gambling available to its residents outside of horse racing at applicable venues. Even though such formal legalization is on the way with an effective date estimated to be around early June 2019, nothing being proposed would prevent NY residents from betting at offshore online sportsbooks as they have been doing for over 20 years now.

This page serves as a resource for those who want to bet on sports in New York but want to know more about the legalities of betting online. Nobody on the staff here at USAOnlineSportsbooks is a lawyer, but we can definitively say that you won’t get into trouble for simply placing a few wagers online. To help you with that goal, we have also listed some of the best sports gambling websites that allow New York residents full access to their robust odds menus.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal in New York?

One cannot say definitely that betting on sports is illegal in New York because residents are free to bet on their favorite sports events at offshore online sportsbooks. There are a number of New York-friendly offshore online sportsbooks that allow bettors to place wagers on a wide range of local, national, and international sporting events. While domestic Internet wagering will require further legislation (and maybe even another statewide public vote), you can safely and freely wager at offshore NY sportsbooks right now.

While New York has no laws preventing residents from betting at these offshore online sportsbooks, the state – up until May 2018 – was prevented by federal law (PASPA) from offering sports wagering activities inside its borders. And even though sports betting is technically legal in the state thanks to a 2013 referendum and the subsequent overturn of PASPA, the pastime cannot get off the ground until NY starts approving bookmakers’ licenses, which has not yet happened (though is slated to occur by late May or early June 2019). Thus, residents and tourists will not find any legalized and regulated sports betting facilities in the state just yet, although the Empire State is home to many other gambling opportunities.

Since the state of New York does not yet authorize anybody to run either offline or online sports betting services inside its borders, it is very dangerous for residents to place bets with unlicensed local bookies. The safest and the most legal way to bet on sporting events in the Empire State is to do so through licensed, legitimate, offshore sportsbooks.

New York residents are fond of sports events and a large number of them – millions, in fact – bet legally and safely at offshore online sportsbooks. None of them has gotten into trouble with the state government, as they are not breaking any New York gambling laws when placing these bets at overseas venues. The state has no law on its books that clearly prohibits residents from using offshore online sports betting sites.

Individual bettors will never get into trouble with the law for betting online. But the state does not tolerate any operator who runs sports betting businesses without a license. Betting enthusiasts might come across a number of live bookies in New York, but these folks are conducting their books illegally, as New York has not yet licensed anybody to do so in compliance with the law. The only people who will get into trouble with the law enforcement agencies in New York are these illegal bookmakers, but you definitely don’t want to get caught up in any stings or lose your winning wagers when the police confiscate your bookie’s assets.

Where Can New York Residents Bet on Sports Online?

Fortunately for New York bettors, there is no dearth of offshore online sportsbooks where they can bet on sports online. Knowing very well that it is difficult for beginners to identify the most trustworthy licensed online sportsbooks, we have done all the hard work of researching and identifying the best and the top rated online sportsbooks for New York residents. You can safely bet online at these sportsbooks without worrying about getting cheated or scammed.

Bovada didn’t always accept NY residents, but this changed in late 2018, and now Bovada is firmly the #1 sportsbook in the state. With the slickest site and most readable odds boards in the industry, Bovada makes wagering a simple proposition for new bettors and offers powerful tools and wager types for seasoned veterans.

For New Yorkers that sign up at Bovada today, the site offers an industry-leading 5X rollover bonus. Though the bonus is only good for a comparatively small $250 maximum boost to your bankroll, it’s easy to meet the terms of the perk, which means you’ll get your payouts quicker than at competing websites with 10X and 15X rollovers.

BetOnline has been accepting NY residents for years, and it’s still on par with Bovada as the most popular site for new signups in the state. BetOnline has an expertly-curated odds menu, but where the book truly shines is in its payment options. BetOnline is as diverse as the New York crowd that calls the book home, and you have over a dozen different ways to get your account topped off so you can bet on local NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL action.

The best way for New Yorkers to fund their BetOnline accounts is to use Bitcoin, which makes depositing and withdrawing both fast and easy. With Bitcoin, you can place your wagers and claim your payouts in a New York minute, and new members who use cryptocurrency to sign up can get up to $1000 in free plays added to their initial bankrolls. Just use promo code “CRYPTO100” when signing up and you’ll be on your way to the big bucks.

SportsBetting has been taking action from NY residents for ages, and it’s one of the oldest, most trusted books in the state. At SportsBetting, it doesn’t matter where in the state you live or how much money you’ve got – you can use over 10 different deposit methods, and you can fund your account for as little as $20. Of course, you can also deposit thousands of dollars at once, which means that SportsBetting caters to virtually every kind of bettor.

Currently, SportsBetting offers two different excellent new-member bonuses. If you deposit via check, bank wire, or credit/debit, you can get their 50% match bonus worth up to $1000 (promo code: “SB1000”). If you deposit via Bitcoin, however, you can get an even better 100% match bonus, also for up to $1000 (promo code: “100CRYPTO”).

If you live in New York, chances are you’re all business. And if you are, then 5Dimes is right up your street, as the site leaves nothing on the table when it comes to the services it offers. Sure, it’s not the best-looking sportsbook out there, but that’s irrelevant when you’ve got more alternate lines and lower house takes than any other sports betting site. At the end of the day, 5Dimes’ Reduced Juice odds – which cost -105 or so compared to the -110 or -115 that other books charge for spreads and props – are your fastest track to big payouts.

5Dimes’ new-member bonuses aren’t as varied as some other sites, but you can get up to $520 added to your bankroll with your first deposit. This doesn’t require a promo code; instead, you simply email customer service to request the perk, and they’ll respond back ASAP, adding the funds to your new account. Nobody should shop lines without visiting 5Dimes, and once you see what the site has to offer, you might never have to shop lines again!

It’s not cheap to live in New York. For players living large in the Empire State, BookMaker is the clear favorite. BookMaker, by the numbers, is New York’s oldest and richest online sports betting site, and it caters to high rollers better than any other service. Naturally, newcomers and casual bettors can also enjoy BookMaker’s world-class sports betting and casino gaming products, but if you want to drop a dime on the Yankees or the Mets, there’s no better book. BookMaker offers the highest deposit limits and highest wager limits of any sportsbook on our shortlist.

That said, you’re never too wealthy to enjoy free money, and BookMaker has the industry’s only remaining cash bonus. While most sites offer free plays as their bonuses, BookMaker offers cash, which is way more versatile. When you first join BookMaker, you can elect to have the site match your deposit by 15%, and that cash will be added to your bankroll immediately.

BetDSI is one of the Big Apple’s oldest wagering sites, but they’ve recently undergone an incredible facelift, putting their menus and odds boards on par with Bovada for tops in the industry. BetDSI’s new site design makes browsing the boards fast and easy, which is perfect for your fast-paced NY lifestyle.

You can also enjoy several perks for signing up at BetDSI. The site offers a valuable BetPoints rewards program, and you can have your initial deposit matched one-to-one by up to $500 in free-plays. Just put in the code “BTB200” when you make your first deposit, and enjoy a boosted bankroll to put towards all the great New York sports you love. Returning members get plenty of love at BetDSI as well, with fresh deposits earning up to $2500 in bonuses.

MyBookie is a bit different than all the other top New York sportsbooks on our list. While the others all have international odds on things like soccer, cricket, golf, tennis, rugby, and more, MyBookie dispenses with all that foreign mumbo jumbo. There’s no place as American as New York, and there’s no sportsbook as American as MyBookie. Because the site is 100% dedicated to only the most popular US sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA), you are sure to get dedicated odds game in and game out, all year round.

Of course, that’s not to say that the site is all political or patriotic. It’s not that at all – instead, the site simply gives its US customers all the sports they want with none of the added lines of other books. This keeps costs down, keeps overhead low, mitigates the books’ risk, all adding up to reduced costs for you on the wagering end. It’s a unique approach, and with only a few years under its belt (MyBookie was launched in 2014), it’s proven to be a winning formula. And if MyBookie sounds like your bookie, new members can even get up to $1000 in free plays when making their first deposits (promo code: “MYB50”).

When you further explore the finally-overturned PASPA law which stifled sports wagering in America for 25 years, you will see that it was passed with the sole goal of stopping the expansion of sports betting. The federal law made it illegal for states to issue new sports betting licenses, therefore making it impossible to establish new land-based sportsbooks. Nevada, Delaware, Oregon, and Montana were the only states exempted due to their prior sports betting laws, though only Nevada had proper, full-service sports wagering. Now, of course, PASPA is no more, and New York is free to establish its own sports betting rules and regulations.

Another federal law, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was the most recent federal law that impacted gambling in New York, having been passed in 2006. Though it does not specifically name sports betting, the UIGEA imposed banking restrictions on financial institutions for Internet gambling transactions. This is why your credit card may sometimes get declined, but there are no penalties for sports bettors. The law only applies to gambling businesses and financial processors. (This is also the case with the Wire Act of 1961, which is still active on the books – it only goes after sportsbook operators, not bettors themselves.)

On the issue of state-based New York sports betting laws, the practice was approved in 2013 by voter referendum. With PASPA gone, the Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law of 2013 and the Upstate New York Gaming Economic Development Act of 2013 allow for sports betting to be offered within and regulated by New York itself. However, sports wagering is only allowed to be hosted by the four upstate casinos developed in accordance with the above, and online or otherwise expanded sports wagering in the state will allegedly require a voter referendum and will thus take another year or two to materialize. Land-based sports wagering is scheduled to launch around the end of May or beginning of June 2019, and the rules governing the practice can be found in their entirety here.

Given the fandom in New York for collegiate sports in addition to the standard professional leagues, it is important to note one critical aspect of current NY sports wagering legislation: At in-state New York sportsbooks, you will not be able to wager on NY-based college teams or on any NCAA contests taking place within NY borders. Fortunately, the offshore sports betting sites that we recommend for NY bettors do not have these same limitations, so you’ll be able to bet on Syracuse, Columbia, Cornell, and Army to your wallet’s content!

Are Online Sportsbooks Taking New York Residents Regulated By The State?

The online sportsbooks that accept New York residents are all based in foreign countries and are licensed and regulated in remote gambling jurisdictions. They are not licensed or regulated by the state of New York, but they are still safe and legal because they are carefully monitored by regulatory bodies in foreign countries.

You need not worry about betting online at any of the online sportsbooks listed on this page because we have handpicked the cream of the online sports betting crop. These online sportsbooks are not only licensed and regulated, but they also implement the latest encryption technologies to keep bettors’ personal details and monetary transactions safe and protected. Since they are legal online sports betting brands belonging to highly reputed international companies, they have never cheated New York residents out of their winnings, and they never will.

New York Sports Betting Markets

New York has a large population, and most of its residents are fond of sports events and of placing bets on them. The city is home to several major leagues and also considers teams outside its limits as part of the overarching social gaming fabric of the state. For instance, the NFL’s New York Giants actually play in New Jersey, but they are still considered to be a New York team, and NY sports bettors spend billions each year on the G-Men alone.

New York has primetime MLB teams such as the New York Yankees and New York Mets, NBA teams such as the Nets and Knicks, NHL teams such as the Rangers and Islanders, and other clubs in all major and minor sporting leagues of note.

New York Sports Betting FAQs

How can I increase my deposit limits?

Increasing your deposit limit is as simple as contacting a customer service representative. With increased funding you have more opportunities to wager on sports, which is the main goal for the sportsbook operator. When you want a significant limit increase, it is better to ask once you have already made wagers in the sportsbook. Operators always aim to accommodate their loyal customers.

Is There A Fee For Using My Credit Card?

While there are some online sportsbooks that have no deposit fees, there are books like Bovada that charge between 4% and 7% depending on the type of card. Your card issuer may also charge a separate international service fee of 3%. If your credit issuer processes the payment as a cash advance, they may charge a cash advance fee. The online sportsbook cashier will not receive any fees that are imposed by your banking institution.

Should I Bet On A Sport I Don’t Fully Understand?

No, you definitely should not wager on sports you do not understand. One of the biggest and most common mistakes that sports bettors make is betting on sports that they aren’t familiar with. While you do not need to be a professional sports analyst to wager on games, you should at least have a general understanding of how the sport works. Otherwise, you are likely to just throw money down the drain by wagering on a complete whim. You want to be the most informed bettor that you possibly can, so pick a sport that you are more familiar with or take the time to learn the new sport.

Sports betting was nominally legalized in NY back in 2013 via public referendum (pending federal decriminalization, which happened in 2018 when PASPA was overturned). However, the state has been slow to roll out legislation for sports wagering since the Supreme Court ruling, and legislators are clearly taking their time to cross their i’s and dot their t’s. Recently, the state published its finalized regulatory proposal for the first wave of sports wagering, which is set to launch sometime in late May or early June 2019.

When will Internet-based domestic sports wagering be legal in New York?

the state level to “study” mobile/Internet sports betting in New York. As such, a domestic Internet-based service is a near certainty to launch in the mid-term future. Most industry analysts and political pundits expect a full rollout of domestic online sports betting in New York within the next two years. Of course, you don’t have to wait – you can legally bet online right now if you live in NY, just by using a reputable offshore sportsbook.

How big is the New York betting market?

The New York sports betting market is enormous. With all of the local teams in the state at both the collegiate and professional levels (including 10 teams in the “big four” pro leagues alone) and an estimated 3-4 million active sports bettors, the state turns a handle of over $20 billion betting on sports each year. Being able to tax the revenue on even some of this action would be a huge win for New York’s budgetary needs, and that is the driving motivation for getting a deal done ASAP.

Where is the best place to bet on New York teams?

USAOnlineSportsbooks knows the best places to wager on NY sports teams are going to be online sportsbooks like Bovada and BetOnline or physical land-based books in New Jersey. A number of NY residents are also in the habit of driving across the bridge into NJ to get past the geo-fencing restrictions of NJ’s domestic online books, allowing them to place wagers while on the go. In fact, during NJ’s online betting rollout in late 2018, New Yorkers using this exact tactic caused several traffic jams over the bridge. Obviously, if you want maximum convenience, you can forego that and stick with offshore books, even if it’s less of an “adventure” to do so.

Do online New York sportsbooks accept Bitcoin?

Yes, all of the top offshore sportsbooks that accept NY customers over the Internet accept Bitcoin. Other cryptocurrencies (aka altcoins) are also accepted, including Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Cardano, Stellar, Ripple, DASH, and more, though different sites tend to have different crypto selections as a matter of course. In addition to offering greater transaction security and privacy than any other form of payment, crypto is also the best way to get paid out quickly at any offshore sportsbook. More traditional withdrawal methods all require wait times of several days, but crypto transactions clear in just a few hours or less.